Hiking Trails

Distances, elevation, difficulty, and what to actually expect on the ground. Not just the highlights — the full picture.

Difficulty
Area
Type

8 trails documented

Easy

Wulingyuan

Golden Whip Stream Trail

3 hrs 7.5 km ↑ 80 m One-way

A flat 7.5 km walk through Wulingyuan's most photogenic valley, past soaring sandstone pillars and a monkey-filled forest beside a crystal stream.

Easy

Tianmen

Tianmen Mountain Sky Walk (Glass Walkway)

4 hrs 3 km ↑ 200 m Loop

A 60-metre glass-bottomed cliff walkway at 1,400 m elevation on Tianmen Mountain, combining cable car ascent with forest hiking and vertiginous ridge views.

Moderate

Wulingyuan

Yuanjiajie Hallelujah Mountain Loop

3 hrs 5.5 km ↑ 150 m Loop

The high plateau circuit around the Avatar-inspiring Hallelujah Mountain (Southern Sky Column), with panoramic pillar views from Wulingyuan's most famous viewpoints.

Easy

Wulingyuan

Tianzi Mountain Circuit

2.5 hrs 4 km ↑ 60 m Loop

A plateau ridge walk at 1,262 m through Wulingyuan's 'Emperor of Peak Forest', connecting the park's highest viewpoints above a sea of sandstone pillars and mist.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge
Moderate

Grand Canyon

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge

3.5 hrs 5 km ↑ 300 m One-way

A canyon gorge walk leading to the world's longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge, suspended 300 m above a dramatic limestone canyon 67 km from Wulingyuan.

Easy

Wulingyuan

Ten Mile Gallery (Shili Huala)

2 hrs 6 km ↑ 50 m One-way

A scenic 6 km road-side walk through a dense pillar forest in Wulingyuan, best explored by tourist cableway or on foot with views unavailable from the eco-bus.

Hard

Tianmen

Tianmen Mountain Road Walk (99 Bends)

3 hrs 8 km ↑ 0 m One-way

A challenging descent on foot down the famous 99-hairpin road cut into the cliff face of Tianmen Mountain, with vertiginous drop-offs and views over Zhangjiajie city.

Expert

Tianmen

Tianmen Mountain Peak Scramble

6 hrs 10 km ↑ 800 m Out & back

An off-the-beaten-path scramble to the secondary peaks of Tianmen Mountain for experienced hikers seeking solitude, exposed ridgelines, and views without the crowds.